Prolegomena of a Theory and History of Religious Evolution

该项目开发了一个宗教进化的理论，是牢牢植根于宗教的研究。同时，它也符合一般进化论和社会分化论，并考虑到以下几个方面：·宗教是历史化的，而不使用分期和目的论假设。此外，它被理解为一种新兴的社会文化现象--这种理解有助于避免本质化。·根据宗教历史的总体特征，对各个宗教的特殊性进行了研究，使该项目能够考虑不同的宗教形式，并对宗教一词展开一般性的理解，从而开辟了比较的视角。宗教研究方法是文化研究和社会科学的一部分，同时它与自然科学的理论相结合。这为宗教发展的重建开辟了探索的道路，同时确保适当考虑与社会文化，心理，生物和物理进化的相互作用，作为其环境的相关因素。求助于结构科学-特别是系统理论，符号学和信息理论-将被用来实现这些目标。这种在线存在是提前出版各章的一种手段，并允许发表评论，这反过来又提供了宝贵的反馈，以优化印刷出版前的写作过程。

The project develops a theory of religious evolution that is firmly rooted in the Study of Religion. It will at the same time live up to both the general theory of evolution and the theory of societal differentiation.In doing so, the following aspects will be taken into account:• Religion is historicized without using periodization and teleological assumptions. Furthermore, it is understood as an emerging socio-cultural phenomenon – an understanding that helps avoid essentialization.• Particularities of individual religions are examined in the light of overarching characteristics of the history of religion, allowing the project to consider different religious forms and to unfold a generic understanding of the term religion, which opens up comparative perspectives.• The Study of Religion approach is part of the Cultural Studies and Social Sciences, while at the same time it is mediated with theories from the Natural Sciences. This opens up alleys of enquiry for the reconstruction of the development of religion, while ensuring due consideration for interactions with the socio-cultural, mental, biological, and physical evolution as its environmental correlates.Recourse to the structural sciences – particularly systems theory, semiotics and informational theory – will be taken to accomplish these goals.Work on the monograph is accompanied by a website. This online presence serves as a means for in-advance publication of individual chapters and allows for comments, which in turn provides valuable feedback to optimize the process of writing previous to publication in print.